1. School/Court Cooperative Programs Working Together to Reduce Crime and Improve Education

2. Types of Programs Alternative to Suspension Truancy Prevention Information Sharing Reporting Center –Alternative to Expulsion –Alternative to Detaining Kids in Juvenile Detention Center

3. Alternative To Suspension Why? Suspension from school means –A Gap in Education –A Punishment of Questionable Value Student gets a “vacation” –Students are Often Unsupervised During Suspension Period –No Modification of Negative Behavior

4. Extended Day Programs Alternative to out-of school suspension Allows students to attend their regular classes in their home school Student Day is extended –6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Attendance is Court Ordered

5. Court Hearing School Sends Order to Appear under Signature of Judge –Files Affidavit of Service Petition for Enforcement of School Rules –Sent to parent and filed with Court School Prepares Court Order –Sets hearing date

6. How is a Student Referred? Referred by the Principal Reasons: –Repeated or chronic behavior problems Hall misconduct, late to school, unserved detentions, disruptive classroom behavior –Non-Physical offenses that would result in automatic suspension Theft, vandalism, possession of electronic device, insubordination, gambling –Students Who Do Not Serve In House Assignments Successfully

7. Who Attends the Hearing Student Parents Principal or Assistant Principal Sometimes… –Other agencies involved with family –Translator

8. What Information Does the Judge Have? Petition School Disciplinary Record Grades Family Court Information Sheet –Contains prior court involvement of Family Members

9. Results… YearSchoolTotals YearTotals 1996-1997Boston348 Kesling306654 1997-1998Boston59 Kesling3594 2002-2003Boston81 Kesling79160 LaPorte Community Schools Suspensions

10. “John” Entrance Date 10/17/02 Reason for Placement –Low credits –Truancies –Frequent In School suspensions Goals –To Stay Awake –Control Anger –Pass My Classes Passing less than half of classes Exit Date 3/14/03 After Completion –Steadily Increasing Credits –Zero Truancies –No In School Suspensions Goals –Monitor sheets indicate on task, working hard –Behavior no longer a major issue –Passed all classes, increased grade point and class rank significantly

11. Avoid a “Cookie Cutter” Approach Do What Works for your Students

12. Alternative to Suspension Michigan Area Schools Middle School Alternative Programming

13. Project MAP Michigan City Area Schools, Grades 6-8 Mainly Urban School District High Suspension and Expulsion Rate Funding: –Local Foundations Want to see problem addressed –Mayor of Michigan City – Riverboat Funds

14. Truancy Prevention Active in both Michigan City and LaPorte Who Attends? -Parent and student if in 5 th grade and above -County attendance officers -School principal -Investigator from Child Protective Services -Probation officer if Middle School student

15. Goals of Project Attend Group discussion of the attendance problem Identify reasons for non-attendance Enter into contract to improve situation Inform parent and child of legal consequences of not attending school Put services into place if necessary Open up communication between the family and the school

16. Day Reporting Alternative to Expulsion Located on Grounds of Juvenile Services Center in Portable Classroom Joint Effort Schools and Circuit Court, Juvenile Services Center First Students - April 26, 2004

17. Staff One Youth Specialist Worker One Certified Teacher –Working in conjunction with Juvenile Services Center educational staff Resources of Juvenile Services Center

18. Cooperative Ventures The Key to Success… Courts and Schools Working Together

19. Cooperative Programs Alternative to Expulsion (Day Reporting – Grades 6-8) Alternative to Suspension (Project ED – Grades 7-12 LPCSC) (Project MAP – Grades 6-8 MCAS) Project Attend (Truancy Prevention Grades 1-5) Goal: Keeping Kids In School

20. Computerized Information Sharing Part of a Commputerized Court Docketing System Schools, Courts, Office of Family and Children, Probation, Law Enforcement, Juvenile Services Center

21. Pilot Program Communities in Schools LaPorte Community Schools Michigan City Area Schools Office of Family and Children

22. Serious Habitual Juvenile Comprehensive Action Program Comprehensive and Cooperative case management system that enables the juvenile justice system to focus informed attention on youth who repeatedly commit serious crimes.

23. Courts Can Help Keep Kids in School Keep Kids Off the Street Decrease likelihood of Contact With Criminal Justice System

24. Joan McCormick Director of Special Education jmccormick@mcas.k12.in.us Administration Building 408 South Carroll Avenue Michigan City, IN 219-873-2000

25. Kathleen Lang LaPorte Circuit Court 813 Lincolnway, Suite 303 LaPorte, IN 46350 219-362-8610 ext. 512 klang@laportecounty.org

26. Educational Services Center 1921 A Street LaPorte, Indiana 46350 Phone: 219-362-7056 Superintendent: Dr. Kenneth Blad kblad@lpcsc.k12.in.us Assistant Superintendent :Dr. Dennis Shawver dshawver@lpcsc.k12.in.us